⚖️ Morrison v. Olson

Wednesday, June 29, 1988 All day

The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 is constitutional because it does not increase the power of the judiciary or legislative branches at the expense of the executive branch. Its restriction on the power of the United States Attorney General to remove an inferior officer only for good cause does not violate the Appointments Clause. Decided June 29, 1988 (argued April 26, 1988). Opinion of the Court: William Rehnquist → go there Dissenting: Scalia. Topic: Separation of powers. Morrison v. Olson, 487 U.S. 654 (1988), was a United States Supreme Court decision holding that the Ethics in Government Act was constitutional. It also set important precedent determining the scope of Congress's ability to encumber the president's authority to remove officers of the United States from office. In 2020, in the case Seila Law LLC v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Supreme Court distinguished Morrison as a narrow exception applying only to inferior officers. Wiki link

⚖️ Morrison v. Olson